James Aloysius Geary
The papers span the years from Geary's student days, ca. 1905-1907, to the years just past his retirement, at age seventy in 1953, from The Catholic University of America. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, editorials, research articles, Algonquian and Gaelic language notes, pamp...
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The Catholic University of America, The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives
1893
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James Aloysius Geary : An inventory of the James Aloysius Geary Papers at the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives |
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James Aloysius Geary : An inventory of the James Aloysius Geary Papers at the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives |
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James Aloysius Geary |
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James Aloysius Geary |
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James Aloysius Geary |
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James Aloysius Geary |
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James Aloysius Geary |
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1893 |
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The Catholic University of America, The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives |
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Archival Material |
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4 linear feet; 8 boxes, 1 volume |
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English |
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The papers span the years from Geary's student days, ca. 1905-1907, to the years just past his retirement, at age seventy in 1953, from The Catholic University of America. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, editorials, research articles, Algonquian and Gaelic language notes, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, poems, and photographs. |
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geary James Aloysius Geary An inventory of the James Aloysius Geary Papers at the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives Contributors: Mary Beth Fraser, Jennifer Larsen, William John Shepherd. Processed By: EJL. The Catholic University of America, The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives October 1978 101 Aquinas HallThe Catholic University of AmericaWashington, D.C. 20064 Finding aid encoded by Washington Research Library Consortium. March 2005 English Descriptive Summary The Catholic University of America, The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives 1893 ca. 1901-1958 James Aloysius Geary, 1882-1962 The James Aloysius Geary Papers 4 linear feet; 8 boxes, 1 volume The papers span the years from Geary's student days, ca. 1905-1907, to the years just past his retirement, at age seventy in 1953, from The Catholic University of America. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, editorials, research articles, Algonquian and Gaelic language notes, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, poems, and photographs. ACUA 078 English Biographical Note James Aloysius Geary was born to John J. and Mary A. (Walsh) Geary in Worcester, Massachusetts, November 8, 1882. He attended the public schools in Worcester (1887-1899); subsequently, he studied at the College of Holy Cross, Worcester (1899-1903); the Seminaire de St. Sulpice, Paris, France (1903-1906); the American College, Louvain, Belgium (1906-1907, ordained 1907); after four years of parish work in the Diocese of Portland, Maine, and of Springfield, Massachusetts, he did graduate work at The Catholic University of America (1911-1916) where he received his Ph.D. in 1931. Beginning in 1912, Geary taught courses (including Biology, Philosophy and the Psychology of Education) at The Catholic Sisters College. He first taught Gaelic at Catholic University in 1914 and in 1916 was appointed Instructor of Celtic and Comparative Philology. Made assistant professor in 1936 and full professor in 1949, Geary, until his retirement in 1953, engaged in wide and varied teaching activities that included in addition to Celtic Languages: General LInguistics; Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin; Historical Grammar of Latin; and Algonquian Grammar. Along with his teaching duties, Geary served in various administrative capacities (most notably as Secretary of the Department of German and Comparative Philology), directed many students activities, and sat on numerous faculty committees. A prominent scholar who published widely in professional journals, Geary was recognized by both the Bureau of Ethnology and the Smithsonian Institution as an expert in American Indian languages; he was frequently consulted by these institutions regarding American Indian words and names. Years of his life were spent studying various Algonquian languages with the view to deriving proto-Algonquian forms. He undertook phonological field studies among the Lake Simon band of Indians living near La Sarre, Quebec (1937-1939) and the Fox Indians in Tama, Iowa (1914-1951). In 1953, Geary was still involved in the long process of translating a Fox text, in possession of the Smithsonian, on the culture-hero, Wisahkaka. Geary held memberships in many professional societies, including The American Dialect Society, The Linguistic Circle of New York, and the Gaelic Society of Washington. He served as chairman of the Patrick H. Pearse branch of the Friends of Irish Freedom and was a member and president of the Douglas Hyde branch of the Gaelic League. Geary died in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 1962, and was buried in Worcester, Massachusetts. Scope and Contents The papers span the years from Geary's student days, ca. 1905-1907, to the years just past his retirement, at age seventy in 1953, from The Catholic University of America. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, editorials, research articles, Algonquian and Gaelic language notes, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, poems, and photographs. The personal papers include correspondence with family and friends; legal-financial papers relating to his stock and real estate interests and his contacts with the Internal Revenue Service; and papers relating to the John Spensley estate, for which Geary was executor. Place among the personal papers in addition are materials relating to Geary's avid interest in Irish politics which trace his involvement with the Friends of Irish Freedom and other Irish organizations promoting Irish independence and culture. Correspondence, editorials and newspaper clippings relating particularly to World War I, the League of Nations, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt are also included here. The bulk of the materials in the collection relates to Geary's academic and professional career as a seminarian and doctoral student, Celtic teacher, Secretary of the Department of German and Comparative Philology, and specialist and researcher in Algonquian and Gaelic languages. The academic material incorporate his student and alumni papers, communications with Catholic University and intra-university correspondence, and his pastoral papers. Many of the papers of his early years at Catholic University, relate to his charge as disciplinarian in Gibbons and Graduate Halls and to such university activities as the Saint Thomas Aquinas Club, the Irish Historical Club, and The Symposium." The papers relating to research among the Fox Indians living near Tama, Iowa reflect Geary's major scholarly activity during the 1940's. Included are etymological studies of Algonquian words and place-names, especially place-names in Wisconsin. Also included are research notes on Algonquian phonology, notes for an intended Algonquian-language Catholic Prayer book, and lists of words for his slip dictionary. The Gaelic materials include brief etymological studies of Irish words, place-names and surnames, and indications of other work translating Gaelic words and phrases. Much of the correspondence focuses on Irish history, culture, and on the education of students in Gaelic. Important Correspondence: Joseph P. Dunn Albert Gale Paul Grosjean John P. Harrington Vernam Hull Blanche Mary Kelly Robert A. Logan Robert T. Meyer Truman Michelson Mary H. Scanlon S. Shannon Dorothy Seibel Carl Voegelin Robert B. Whitsett Patrick J. Hurley Robert Brennan Harold Knutson Arrangement The Papers of James Aloysius Geary consists of two series: Series 1: Personal Papers, ca. 1901-1955 (Boxes 1-3) Series 2: Academic Papers, 1893, 1905-1958 (Boxes 3-8) Restrictions on Access There are no access restrictions. Related Material The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives: Index Terms This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms. Organizations: Catholic University of America Places: Ireland--Politics and government Subjects: American Indian culture Algonquian and Gaelic philology Indians of North America--Languages Philology, Modern Study and teaching (Higher) United States World War I, 1914-1918 Acquisition Information Date Received: August 17, 1971, October 28, 1987, April 20, 2004 Processing Information Processing completed in October 1978 by EJL with revisions completed in 2004 by Jennifer Larson and William John Shepherd. Data entry completed in 2001 by Mary Beth Fraser. EAD markup completed in March 2005 by Washington Research Library Consortium. Additional EAD markup completed in October 2005 by Jordan Patty. Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1: Personal Papers, ca. 1901-1955 (3 boxes) Correspondence, 1913-1953; Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1914-1955; John Spensley Estate Correspondence and Other Papers, 1903-1940; Irish Politics, 1913-1954 (broken down into major and miscellaneous Irish organizations and into general Irish Activities and Interests); and Photos, Mass Cards, Miscellaneous, ca. 1901-1948. 1 1 Correspondence, 9/11/1911-10/04/1938 1 2 Correspondence, 5/09/1939-6/08/1943 1 3 Correspondence, 11/08/1943-11/17/1947 1 4 Correspondence, 6/27/1948-5/13/1952 1 5 Correspondence, 6/24/1952-8/09/1953, n.d. 1 6 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1/16/1905-10/26/1909 1 7 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1/15/1910-12/02/1910 1 8 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1/18/1911-6/30/1911 1 9 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 7/01/1911-12/05/1911 1 10 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 2/02/1912-12/21/1912 1 11 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1/20/1913-12/26/1913 1 12 Legal-Financial Correspondence, 1/09/1914-11/11/1914 2 13 Irish Politics, Friends of Irish Freedom Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/05/1922-12/13/1922, n.d. 2 14 Irish Politics, All America National Council Correspondence and Printed Material, 1922, n.d. 2 15 Irish Politics, All America National Council Memorandum, April-May 1922 2 16 Irish Politics, All America National Council Memorandum, 06/15/1922-12/1923, n.d. 2 17 Irish Politics, Miscellaneous Irish Organizations Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/15/1915-03/29/1940 2 18 Irish Politics, Miscellaneous Irish Organizations Correspondence and Other Papers, 09/17/1941-08/04/1952, n.d. 2 19 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests Correspondence, 08/20/1917-10/28/1922 2 20 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests Correspondence, 03/30/1931-11/04/1954, n.d. 2 21 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Speeches, Editorials, Articles, Poetry, 1914-1919 2 22 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Speeches, Editorials, Articles, Poetry, 1935-1936 2 23 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Speeches, Editorials, Articles, Poetry, 1921-1922 3 1 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Pamphlets, 1915-1922 3 2 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Newspaper Clippings, 1913-1943 3 3 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Newspaper Clippings, 1914-1917 3 4 Irish Politics, Irish Activities and Interests, Newspaper Clippings, 1915-1918 3 5 Photos, Mass Cards, Miscellaneous, 1901-1948 Series 2: Academic Papers, 1893, 1905-1958 (4 boxes) General Correspondence and Other Papers, 1905-1956; Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 1893, ca. 1907-1958 (broken down into major correspondents, other correspondents, and into Algonquian and Gaelic related correspondence and research materials). 3 6 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 01/1905-11/26/1912 3 7 General Correspondence and Other Papers, ca. 1912-1915 3 8 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 01/14/1913-04/2/1915 3 9 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/12/1915-02/15/1917 3 10 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/31/1917-03/23/1919 3 11 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/12/1919-08/20/1920 3 12 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/30/1921-05/22/1921? 3 13 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/11/1921-07/01/1922 3 14 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 08/04/1931-11/21/1931 3 15 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 11/23/1931-02/08/1932 3 16 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/02/1932-10/22/1934 3 17 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 04/30/1934-08/03/1937 3 18 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/14/1938-08/04/1939 3 19 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 12/29/1939-12/31/1946 4 1 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 04/23/1948-12/28/1952 4 2 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 01/05/1953-06/30/1953 4 3 General Correspondence and Other Papers, 07/23/1953-10/19/1956, n.d. 4 4 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 08/01/1920-06/14/1948 1. J. P. Gunn, ca.1920-1948 4 5 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 12/11/1950-03/06/1951 1. J. P. Gunn, ca. 1950-1951 2. A. Gale, ca. 1950-1951 3. P. Grossjean, ca. 1950-1951 4 6 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 09/15/1932-12/19/1932 1. P. Grossjean, 1932 2. J. P. Harrington, 1932 4 7 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/23/1945-04/03/1947 1. J. P. Harrington, ca. 1945-1947 2. V. Hull, ca. 1945-1947 4 8 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/13/1951-10/28/1951 1. V. Hull, 1951 2. B. M. Kelly, 1951 4 9 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 11/09/1945-07/16/1952 1. B. M. Kelly, ca. 1945-1952 2. R. A. Logan, ca. 1945-1952 4 10 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 04/09/1947-07/27/1947 1. R. A. Logan, 1947 4 11 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 1941 1. R. A. Logan, 1941 2. R. T. Meyer, 1941 4 12 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/12/1935-09/21/1938 1. T. Michelson, ca. 1935-1938 2. M. H. Scanlon, ca. 1935-1938 4 13 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/24/1939-10/20/1940 1. S. Shannon, ca.1939-1940 4 14 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 11/09/1940-09/30/1946 1. S. Shannon, ca. 1940-1946 4 15 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 10/04/1946-08/06/1952, 1958 1. S. Shannon, ca. 1946-1958 4 16 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 1958, n.d. 1. S. Shannon, 1958 4 17 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 07/16/1951-10/16/1952, n.d. 1. D. Seibel, ca. 1951-1952 2. C. Vogegelin, ca. 1951-1952 4 18 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 1936, 08/02/1941-12/07/1944 1. R. Whitsett, ca. 1941-1944 4 19 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 12/17/1944-09/24/1946 1. R. Whitsett, ca. 1944-1946 4 20 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 10/06/1946-06/17/1947 1. R. Whitsett, ca. 1946-1947 4 21 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 07/08/1947-12/06/1951 1. R. Whitsett, ca. 1947-1951 5 1 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 01/21/1952-08/25/1953, n.d. 5 2 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 1910-08/10/1931 5 3 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 09/09/1931-03/23/1936 5 4 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/26/1936-12/13/1938 5 5 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 01/30/1939-06/02/1940 5 6 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/25/1940-11/14/1942 5 7 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 11/21/1942-1942,1943 5 8 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 06/28/1944-03/01/1946 5 9 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/05/1946-02/28/1948 5 10 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/06/1948-11/25/1949 5 11 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 12/05/1949-02/13/1950 5 12 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 03/02/1950-05/25/1950 5 13 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, 05/30/1950-08/29/1955, n.d. 5 14 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers, undated 5 15 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 03/24/1937-04/28/1941 5 16 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 05/07/1941-12/22/1941 5 17 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 01/05/1942-02/02/1943 5 18 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 02/09/1943-03/14/1945 5 19 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 04/04/1945-09/10/1946 5 20 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 09/14/1946-04/08/1948 5 21 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Field Research Correspondence, 01/02/1949-09/13/1952 5 22 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 01/18/1940-11/04/1941 5 23 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 11/18/1941-07/02/1946 5 24 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 07/05/1946-01/10/1947 6 1 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 01/19/1947-05/18/1948 6 2 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 08/18/1949-09/02/1951 6 3 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Etymological Correspondence, 03/05/1952-11/28/1955 6 4 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin MSS and Printed Articles, 1945, 1953-1954 undated 6 5 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin MSS and Printed Articles, 1893, 1941-1945 6 6 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin MSS and Printed Articles, 1950 6 7 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin MSS and Printed Articles, 1951 6 8 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Notes, 1936-1938, undated 6 9 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Notes, 1947-1953, undated 6 10 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Notes, undated 6 11 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Algonquin Newspaper Clippings, 1934-1940, undated 6 12 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Correspondence, 06/29/1920-09/28/1932 6 13 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Correspondence, 11/29/1932-03/13/1938 6 14 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Correspondence, 03/20/1938-09/04/1940 6 15 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Correspondence, 12/02/1940-12/02/1947 6 16 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Correspondence, 02/04/1948-10/31/1954, n.d. 6 17 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Etymological Correspondence, 03/09/1919-09/24/1934 6 18 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Etymological Correspondence, 04/27/1935-12/09/1940 6 19 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Etymological Correspondence, 11/15/1943-10/09/1952 7 1 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Research Notes, ca. 1907-1908 7 2 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Research Notes, ca. 1912 7 3 Philological Correspondence and Other Papers; Gaelic Research Notes and Book Reviews, ca. 1931-1941 7 4 Certificate "La Medaglia Benemerenti", 1939 8 1 Five Bundles-Gaelic Slip Dictionary, n.d. 8 2 Four Bundles-Gaelic Slip Dictionary, n.d. 8 3 Alumni Plaque, College of Holy Cross, Class of 1903 , 1903 8 4 Memorial Scrapbook of reception for Geary at Catholic University , 1921 |